STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION RETURNS TO BROADCAST TELEVISION FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 8 YEARS

With 83% Clearance, One-Hour Drama Sold for a Fall 2009 Broadcast TV Launch

LOS ANGELES (January 26, 2009) - CBS Television Distribution has sold the broadcast rights to STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION to stations across the country to strip for Fall 2009, it was announced today by Joe DiSalvo, President of Sales for CBS Television Distribution.

The strip is currently cleared in 83% of the country, including 29 of the top 30 markets. Tribune, Sinclair, CBS and LIN stations are among those signing on for the landmark series.

"STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION was a groundbreaking show when it first premiered in syndication and was the highest-rated series in the STAR TREK franchise," DiSalvo said. "It also has an extremely successful track record in cable so stations are excited to add this proven brand to their lineups."

Produced by Paramount Network Television, STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION debuted in first-run syndication the week of Sept. 28, 1987, garnering an historic 27 million viewers. It aired for seven seasons, with 178 episodes being produced, more than that of any other STAR TREK series. STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION won 18 Emmy Awards and, in its seventh season, became the first syndicated television show to be nominated for the Emmy for Outstanding Drama Series.

Set in the 24th century and decades after the adventures of the original crew of the Starship Enterprise, STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION was the long-awaited successor to the original STAR TREK. Under the command of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, the all new Enterprise NCC-1701-D travels out to distant planets to seek out new life and to boldly go where no one has gone before. The series stars Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, LeVar Burton, Brent Spiner, Marina Sirtis, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden and Wil Wheaton. The series was created by Gene Roddenberry.

CBS Television Distribution is the preeminent company in worldwide television syndication. CTD produces or distributes 11 first-run series and holds the largest internationally distributed television library at 70,000 hours strong. Among CTD's critically-acclaimed programs are the #1 syndicated series Wheel of Fortune; the #2 rated game show Jeopardy!; the top two talk shows The Oprah Winfrey Show and Dr. Phil; the Emmy Award-winning talk show Rachael Ray; the #1 entertainment newsmagazine Entertainment Tonight and its sister show The Insider; the #1 newsmagazine Inside Edition; the top two court shows Judge Judy and Judge Joe Brown; the new Dr. Phil spinoff The Doctors; and popular off-network product, including the CSI and Star Trek franchises, Frasier, Everybody Loves Raymond and Medium. CTD is a unit of CBS Corp.